What I'm about to share with you is my secret weapon I use every year to get my body ready for the little sexy black dress I wear to celebrate New Year's Eve. Don't fall into the trap of going wild eating everything you want for the holidays and then waiting until New Year's to start your resolution to lose weight. If you start now you can look good for New Year's. My plan is simple and easy to follow and doesn't require much time to see results. I'm going to explain step by step. Keep reading!
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First, set your goal by hanging your hot new year's dress somewhere you will see it every day. This will motivate you to stay on track. Think of how hot you're going to look in that dress if you stick with this plan.
Every morning, when you first wake up and before you eat anything, do cardio. But do not exceed 40 minutes. Get your heart pumping and your blood flowing. This will give you added energy for the rest of the day. Instead of starting the day in sluggish mode you'll hit the ground running.
Start your morning with a cup of hot water and lemon to activate your metabolism and prepare your body to burn fat throughout the day.
Remember to eat every 3 hours without skipping any meals and include protein and fiber in every meal. This will keep you from getting too hungry and binge eating on foods you shouldn't eat. It will also keep your glucose level steady so you won't crash and feel starved.
Avoid all sugar. You knew I was going to say that, right? This includes white flour. Get it completely out of the house if possible. For the first two weeks, eat no carbohydrates after 3 p.m. And don't go crazy with them before 3 p.m.
Drink only water or green tea (no coffee or sodas–not even diet sodas!). Add this juice to your diet every day: 1 cup of coconut water, 2 sticks of celery, 1 cucumber, and 1 squeeze of lemon to help you flatten your belly. Eat 1 spoonful of flax seeds, 15 minutes before dinner. This will help you avoid cravings at night.
Zero alcohol. This includes wine as well as those sugary drinks with little umbrellas.
For the last week, no starchy carbohydrates. Eat only eat lean meat like chicken, fish and turkey, and fruits with low glycemic index like berries, apples and grapefruit. And of course, load your plate with vegetables and/or salads. But skip the fattening dressings and toppings. No croutons and bacon bits!
And finally, whenever possible, hit the gym again at night.
I promise you, if you follow these strategies, you'll look amazing in your little black dress by New Year's Eve. You can ring in 2017 feeling and looking great while everyone else is agonizing over their goal of losing weight for the new year. But you'll already be there.
This post was originally published on December 9, 2013.
Image via iStock
